THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST IN HARTFORD An Open and Affirming Congregation of The United Church of Christ THE TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

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1 THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST IN HARTFORD An Open and Affirming Congregation of The United Church of Christ THE TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST November 16, 2014 Welcome ~ Bienvenidos 10:30 AM WELCOME TO WORSHIP AT CENTER CHURCH. We are glad you have joined us for this service of worship and the fellowship of this congregation. We hope that you will be both comforted and challenged by the Word of God for us today. If you are new to our community, we hope you will consider making this your church home. Any of our worship leaders or ushers will be able to help with your questions. If you are already a member, be sure to extend a friendly greeting to those around you, starting with someone you don t know yet. Please turn off all cell phones and other electronic devices before the service of Worship begins. A comfortable nursery is available in the basement of the Meeting House where concerned parents may take young children who are restless. The service can be heard through a speaker system in the nursery. PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP "Helping, fixing, and serving represent three different ways of seeing life. When you help, you see life as weak. When you fix, you see life as broken. When you serve, you see life as whole. Fixing and helping may be the work of the ego, and service, the work of the soul." ~ Rachel Naomi Remen CHIMING OF THE HOUR and GREETING HIGHLIGHTING OUR MINISTRIES

2 COMING BEFORE GOD PRELUDE for Organ Improvisation-Prelude on Marias Lovsång The tune upon which this prelude is improvised is that to which we will sing the hymn, In Matthew s Gospel There Are Five, following the sermon. Please note the tune, with a different text (a paraphrase of the Magnificat), is found in the hymnal at no INTROIT for Choir This Little Light of Mine African-American Spiritual; arr. William Farley Smith, 1987 This little light of mine, I m gonna let it shine. This tune is, perhaps, the less familiar of the two to which the words of this Spiritual have been set. All will be encouraged to sing the (perhaps) more familiar tune as the closing hymn this morning. PLEASE STAND. CALL TO WORSHIP Leader Come, let us Worship! We come to worship after a long week and some difficult days. Come, let us Worship! We give thanks that God walks beside us on this journey. Come, let us Worship! We lift our hands in Praise! Come, Holy Spirit, we are ready to Worship! HYMN for the Church No. 314 Community of Christ LEONI PLEASE BE SEATED. UNISON PRAYER OF INVOCATION (Maren C. Tirabassi, Touch Holiness) and THE LORD S PRAYER This time is set aside for You. We have come to worship You and to give thanks for Your presence among us. Come and meet us in this place.

3 Come and find sanctuary here among Your people. We ask this in Christ s name, offering the words he taught us: Our Father*, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (* = traditional wording but you may use alternative wording, such as God, Creator, or Mother, as seems fitting.) CALL TO CONFESSION CONFESSION AND RECONCILIATION Each of us has fallen short of our best intentions and our best efforts. Yes, but we are afraid to speak this truth out loud. What if we are judged by those around us? Or what if we judge ourselves too harshly for making mistakes? When we speak the truth about our shortcomings and acknowledge our vulnerabilities, we are able to form real community with each other. God has promised to forgive our shortcomings. Trust in God and in one another. UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Written by The Rev. Meredith Jeffers, First Madison UCC) We thank You, God, for inviting us to live in covenant with You and one another, and for remaining faithful to Your promise. Yet, like people of all ages, we find it difficult to be faithful to You. We despise those who remind us of Your call. We grieve You by our rebellion against Your word and our slowness to be Your partners. Forgive us. May we share with You at Your table of joy and welcome all Your friends as our friends; through Jesus Christ, Your word of Love, we pray.

4 SILENCE FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION WORDS OF ASSURANCE The good news is clear: We have another chance. We are made whole in Christ. Receive the grace of God and the care of this community of faith! In Jesus Christ we are connected, as one body, we live in communion with God and in community with each other. Amen. PLEASE STAND. Response (sung by all) Glory Be to God text: Gloria patri, 3 rd century, transl. music: Peter DuBois, 2007 THE PASSING OF THE PEACE The love of God, the Peace of Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always. And also with you. Since in Christ we have been reconciled, let us share his peace with one another. PROCLAIMING GOD S LIVING WORD PLEASE BE SEATED. CHILDREN S MESSAGE PLEASE STAND. HYMN of Discipleship I Have Decided to Follow Jesus Jana Priestley ASSAM Church School students and teachers will leave the Meeting House during this hymn in order to walk to the Church House for classes.

5 PLEASE BE SEATED. OLD TESTAMENT READING Genesis 1:27 NRSV: Old Testament, p. 1 NEW TESTAMENT READING Matthew 1:1-6;16 NRSV: New Testament, p. 879 GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 5:14-16 NRSV: New Testament, p. 882 SERMON The Image of God The Reverend DaVita Day McCallister, Minister for Youth and Young Adults, Connecticut Conference, United Church of Christ RESPONDING IN FAITH PLEASE REMAIN SEATED. HYMN of God s Work through Women In Matthew s Gospel There Are Five MARIAS LOVSÅNG THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Response (sung by the choir) Blow Wild and Blow Freely text: Inés Simeone and Horacio Vivares, 2009; transl. Mary Louise Bringle, 2010 music: Inés Simeone and Horacio Vivares, 2009; adapt. Blow wild and blow freely, O living Holy Spirit. Let love reap the harvest as your fruits increase. Draw us to each other in fellowship and service. Inspire and unite us in your grace and peace. THE OFFERING OF GIFTS AND TITHES (We encourage you to use offering envelopes when giving.) Music for Solo Voice and Organ How Can I Sing Praises text: Laurie Zelman, 2003 music: Mark A. Miller, 2003 Greta Moorhead, mezzo-soprano

6 How can I give praises Someday we ll be able in all times and places, to sit at that table, woven through each thing I do? just beyond all that we see, For each day s a gift, Lord, with love overflowing, and I want to lift, Lord, there is joy in the knowing every hope, every prayer up to you. there s a place set for you and for me. PLEASE STAND AS THE OFFERING IS BROUGHT FORWARD. Hymn of Presentation Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow OLD HUNDREDTH UNISON PRAYER OF DEDICATION We offer these gifts to You for the building of your Kin-dom: A place where all are Welcome, all are cared for, all are loved, and all are equal. Receive our gifts of time, talent, and treasure. We offer them to Your service. Amen. GOING FORTH HYMN for Evangelism No. 524 This Little Light THIS JOY BENEDICTION Upon having sung the three stanzas printed in the hymnal, let us sing again the first stanza! PLEASE BE SEATED. POSTLUDE for Organ Grand Fugue and Finale from Praeludium in A Minor [BuxWV 153] Dieterich Buxtehude (c ) Let your light shine through a rollicking dance! The choir, the lay liturgist, and the minister will process to the back of the church via the center aisle, following which the acolyte will extinguish the candles and process, with a lighted wick, to the back of the church via the center aisle, thus symbolizing the Light of Christ being carried out into the world.